Performance based testing is one of the biggest changes that have been occurring with CompTIA certification exams. They are in current 800 series A+ exams, the Network+ exam, and coming after the first of the year in Security+ exams. Instead of just multiple choice questions, you can expect to see a mixture of different types of questions.
An earlier blog titled CompTIA Performance Based Testing talks about some of the changes in more depth but here's just a few tidbits on the types of questions you might run across on the Network+ exam. Overall, it's good news.
You probably won't see more than three of these types of questions and they are less about doing something than actively showing you have the knowledge.
Realistic Practice Test Questions for the Network+ exam.
CompTIA Network+ N10-005 Practice Test Questions (Get Certified Get Ahead)
CompTIA Network+ N10-005 Practice Test Questions (Get Certified Get Ahead)
Identify
As an example, objective 3.2 "Categorize standard connector types based on network media" expects you to be able to identify different types of connectors. You should be familiar with each of the media listed. One way to make sure you're prepared is to view pictures of the different types of media. You can easily do so with Google images to remind yourself.
- RJ-45
- RJ-11
- BNC
- F-connector
- DB-9 (RS-232)
- Patch panel
- 110 block (T568A, T568B)
This page includes some multiple choice practice test questions related to different connector types.
Realistic practice test questions for the Network+ N10-005 exam
Available through LearnZapp on your mobile phone
Available through LearnZapp on your mobile phone
Tools
Similarly, you might be required to identify a tool based on a specific requirement. For example, objective 4.2 "Given a scenario, use appropriate hardware tools to troubleshoot connectivity issues" expects you to know the purpose of many common tools. If you need to identify a tool by sight that can identify a short or open, what tool would you use?
A past post titled Network+ Hardware Tools includes basic explanations of these tools along with links to images of them.
Summary
If you're planning on taking the Network+ exam soon, make sure you can identify many of the different connectors and tools by sight. Good luck.
